Needle, some 300 feet high. Beyond this stands the platform, the more curious as it is not only nearly level but clothed with succulent grass, enamelled with a great variety of wild flowers, while it is girt with innumerable pinnacles and battlemented cliffs, fretted into the most fantastic shapes. "Look up," says the good minister of the parish in which this great rock wonder is situated, "when you are on the grassy platform, and you will see the golden eagle soaring aloft in the blue firmament." Alas! the eagles were all shrouded in mist, and we saw nothing but this and the storm-clouds drifting before the gale. But agreeable as a blue firmament and dry clothing would have been, I am inclined to think that Quiraing is one of those places seen to greater advantage when veiled in mist and gloom than lighted by brilliant sunshine. Nor should I omit to mention that the rain gives you innumerable water-falls, which spout down the precipices; sometimes, however, they are arrested midway by a sudden gust of wind, and impelled upwards in the form of spray. If blessed with a firm head, you may try it at the platform of Quiraing to the utmost, descending the rugged clefts and chasms between the pyramids, or scaling their precipitous sides; but whether you climb the highest practicable eyrie, or descend to the lowest depth, no view is more striking or impressive than that from the centre of the platform, whence you take in at a sweep the great rock battlements and the chaotic assemblage of riven mountain masses. Your geological studies at Storr will enable you to see at a glance that the same agencies which led to the formation of the pinnacles on the slopes of that mountain, have been active at Quiraing: the result, however, is grander here; and, indeed, the basaltic scenery in the north of Skye is on a larger scale than that of the Giant's Causeway, or Staffa, though the symmetry of the columns is not so great. On a clear day you command a variety of sea views near Quiraing. Our range, in consequence of the mist was extremely limited. We caught glimpses of the vexed waves falling back foaming from the craggy headlands of Altavaig, and could discern the cliffs above the ruined castle of Duntulm. On their cloudy heights, as late as 1775, the chieftains of the house of Macdonald sat in state judging their people, and determining differences connected with the tenure of land. Duntulm Castle is said to have been the residence for many years of the piratical kings of Skye, and here it was that Uistean Mac Ghilliaspuig Chlierich (I hope that you are not reading this page aloud, for if you are you will assuredly break down at this name,) was put to death by his uncle Donull Gorm Mor, the reigning chieftain of Skye. The fellow deserved to be killed, as you will admit when you hear the story, but not, perhaps, in the manner by which his death was effected. Said Uistean, etc. hit on what he conceived to be an ingenious scheme to deprive his uncle of his possessions; and to carry it into effect took a person into his confidence. When all was ripe for the execution of his project, he wrote two letters, one to his uncle full of kind expressions, calculated to lull him into perfect security; the other to his confidant, apprising him how he was to act. But fortunately for the uncle the letters were misdirected, and as may be supposed he lost no time in acting upon the information he thus accidentally received. The nephew, a powerful big-boned brute was seized, conveyed to Duntulm, thrown into a dungeon, left there until he was half dead with hunger, then given a great quantity of very salt beef, of which he partook largely. Thirst, raging thirst ensued: to appease this the prisoner seized a pitcher, which he imagined contained water. It was empty, and his uncle had the satisfaction of seeing his nephew die in writhing agony. So runs the story, vouched for by the bones of the poor wretch, which were found in the dungeon, and believed to be his from their great size. It would be impossible, says the minister of Kilmuir, to relate all the feuds and differences that disturbed the peace of this part of Skye from the dawn of history to The people do not seem to have been at all 1715. influenced by religious feeling. Kilmuir, or the Church of Mary, from Cill, a chapel, and Muir, Mary, might lead you to suppose that they had at least the light of the Church to guide them in the paths of peace. Our trudge back to Uig was through continuous rain, blown by fierce gusts of wind in all directions. An umbrella was of course useless; and, indeed, so searching was the rain that my good waterproof failed to keep it out. However, I was better off than my companion, for I had a change of clothes at Uig, while he had to drive back to Portree in his wet garments. CHAP. XXXI. Scandina Bad Inns in Skye. - Want of Fish. - James VI. and the Goose.— It would be well for the tourist in Skye if Lord Macdonald were as wealthy as the Duke of Sutherland. In this case his Lordship would perhaps provide good inns for visitors to his romantic island. Now, with the exception of those at Portree and Broadford, all the other inns in Skye are sorry taverns, where you must be prepared to rough it in bed and board. With respect to the latter, it is tantalising at Skye to be always near the sea and have fish very seldom. When you ask for fish, the answer generally is that the sea is |